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N.Y. Republicans want Donald Trump to run for governor

ALBANY, N.Y. — Looking to have a popular name at the top of its ticket next year, some New York Republicans are pushing for Donald Trump to run for governor against popular Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

"My conclusion is if we can convince Trump to run, then he would be a very dynamic candidate," Nojay said Monday. "I think he would beat Andrew Cuomo because Trump is right on the issues, and Cuomo is talking but he's not doing."

Trump said Monday on Fox and Friends that an article Monday in the New York Post about Republicans wooing Trump was the first he heard of it. He said he's not particularly interested but went on to knock New York's taxes, which are among the highest in the nation.

"Well, I think my initial reaction is I haven't even thought about it," Trump said. "It's a first. It would be very interesting. I mean, New York has some very serious problems. We have taxes that are through the roof; we have energy sitting in our ground that we are not getting. We have a lot of problems, but it's not something that is of great interest to me."

Trump, 67, criticized Cuomo's tenure and Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who is suing Trump over his private college.

"I like him," Trump said of Cuomo, 55. "He's got probably the dumbest attorney general in the United States. He's driving business out of New York state like crazy. I think Cuomo's a nice guy, but the problem is people are leaving New York. The taxes are way too high."

Nojay said New York Republicans, who now have no declared candidates for statewide office next year, need a strong top of the ticket.

Without a viable candidate for governor against Cuomo, who has $28 million in the bank, Republicans likely would lose the other statewide races on the ticket in 2014 as well as state and congressional seats.

Democrats hold all statewide seats in New York.

"There is an encroaching sense that if we don't get somebody at the top of the ticket, getting someone for AG and comptroller is going to be difficult, if not impossible, and we lose the entire cycle," Nojay said.